Circuit-breaker.



G. A. TUCKER.

CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3,1907.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

' 3 SHEETBSHEET 1.

Z W m I INVENTOR WITNESSES:

A-TTORNEY "aims Pmnswc" mygqmsmmn G. A. TUCKER. CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPL'IGATION rum) emT. a, 1907.

Patented Sept; 21'. 1909'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES 0. A. TUCKER. CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLIOAT IONFILBD SEPT. 3, 1907.

934,482. Patented 86191121, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: 5 if INV QR; 5

srarns PATENT.

con'ris' A. TUjc'Knn; or EDGEWOOD PARK, Pen semama, assrenon ro wnsrino- HOUSE ELECTRIC 'enAnnrAorunine coMrAnY, A" CORPORATION. or. PENN;

: sY vANrA.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 21, 11909.

Application filed September 3, 1907. Serial No. 391,202.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be: it known that I,.CU1rr1s .A. TUCKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State-of Pennsylvania, have i11- -vented a new and useful Improvement in Gircuit-Breakers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric circuit interrupters and it has for its object to provide a simple and drirable device of this character which shall embody electro-responsive operating means requiring a. minimum amount ofelectrical energy.- 1

- "lhc movablcparts of electrically operated circuit interrupters comprising stationary and movable contact. members, are often sufl'icicntly heavy to effect. their separation from the stationary parts as soon asthey are released; The operating magnets for these circuit. interrupter-s usually comprise stationmy and movable core members which are separated-by very small air gaps when the interruptersaroclosed and which are separated by considerable air gaps when the interruptcrs are open. lVith an arrangement of this kind, the 'clectro-magnct must obviously be so designed as tohavc a starting capacity considt-irabiy in excess of the aver age demand upon it, by reason of the inertia ol the movable partswhich are at. rest and the length of the air gap existing between the stationary and movable core members at starting.

' According to my present invention, I provide mechanical means for assisting the initial. movement of the contact members, other means for holding the contact members in a position oi maximum separation, and electro-rcsponsivc means which is adapted to release the holding means and to act in conunction with the l'llQClltll'llCtll means in effect.- ing the closing of the breaker.

Figure. l. oi the accompanying drawings.

is an elevation of a circuit interrupter constructed in accordance with my invention and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the operating mechanism embodied in the interrupter .shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a slight modification.

Referring tothc drawings, the device here illustrated coi'nprises a fluid-containing tank l stationary contact members 2 and 3, movable contact members 4 and 5, a bridging rmitl ct arm 6 and an operating mechanism 7 The movable contact members are adapted to cooperate with the stationary contactmembers and are moved into and out of engagement therewith by operating rods 8 which are connected to the bridging contact member 6 at one end and to the: operating mechanism 7 at the other end.

The operating mechanism 7 comprises a lever 9 which is fulcrumed upon a stationary shaft 10, a link 11 whichconnocts oneextremity of the lever 9 with thc'lowor end of the rod 8, and an electro-magnct 12. The

electric-magnet 12 con'lprises a winding 13 and a pair of core members 14 and 1:), the member 14 being pivotally attached to the free end of thelever 9.

The lower extremity of the rod S is provided with alateral projection 16 whiclrmay be engaged by a latch 17 when the stationary and movable contact members are separated to a maxin'mm,degree. ,The latch 17 is rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 18 and its motion is limited in one direction by an adjustable stop 19. Under normal conditions the latch is h'eld iu engagement with the stopby a spring 20.

The movable core member is adapted to release the latch 17 when the winding 13 is energized, the two parts beingv commctcd by a bell-crank level- 21 and a connecting rod 22.

The l'iell-crank lever 21 is provided with a counter-weight projection which substantially balances the core member 15 and thus facilitates the upward movement of the said member.

A helical tension-spring 23 is connected to a stationary rod or pin 24: at one end and to the outer cxtren'iit-y of the lever 9 at the other, the arrangement of parts being such that the spring is under considerable tension when the circuit interrupter is open. The

outer extremity of the operating lever 9 is forked and supports a roller- Qtlwhich is ongaged by a latch-27 when the breaker is closed. The latch '27 is a part of a bellcrank lever 28 that is fulcrumed upon a stationary shaft 29 and is normally held in one position bya Weight 30.

The bell-crank lever 28is connected by a link 31 to the movable core" member 32 of an auxiliary magnet 33 which serves, Wlu'n energized. to release the latch 27 and thus permit the circuit breaker to open. switching device 34 is mounted on the sin tionary parts of the circuit breaker and comprises a rocking blade 35, stationary contact members 36 and an operating arm 37 which projects from the blade 35. The arm 3'? is cperatively connected to the lever 9 by a link-38 and is so arranged that when the circuit breaker is open the switching device occupies one position in which current may be supplied to the magnet winding 13 and when the circuit breaker is closed the circuit of the magnet winding 13 is interrupted.

.The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that the circuit interrupter is closed, the latch 27 being in engagementwith the roller 26, as shown in F 1, andthe movable and stationary contact members being in engagement with each other; ii the auxiliary magnet winding 33 is energized by an over-load or by the action of an. attendthough the spring 23 is relatively, strong,

v the contact members.

the momentum of the moving parts is sulficient to put it under tension, and the latch 1-7 ,which is heldagainst the adjustable stop 19 as long as the magnet winding 13 is deenergized, engages the projection 16 on the rod 18 and holds the rod in its lowermost position. When it is desirable to close the circuit interrupter, energy is supplied to the magnet winding 13 and, since the core member ll is prevented from moving by reason of the latch 17, the core member 15 will be so moved as to decrease the air gap between the members. This movement serves to release the latch 17 and, since the core member 15 has now reached the limit of its movement, the core member'l l will be attracted and will act in conjunction with the spring 23 to move the contact members into engagement with each other.

In Fig.8, I have shown the rod or pin 2e as so located with reference to the lever 9 that the ,spring 23 will have the double functioii of assisting the operating magnet to close thecircuit-breaker and of supplementing the action of gravity in separating The magnet 13 is deenergized by the change in position of the switch 3 1 as soon as the breaker is closed; consequently, the injury which might otherwise result from the continual energizing of the magnet windings is avoided and the energy consumed in the breaker operation is reduced to a minimum.

Variations in size and arrangement oi parts may be effected within the scope of my invention and I desire that only such limitaions shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a circult-breaker, the combination .with means for holding the movable memsea r82 ber of the breaker in open position, and means tending to close it, of an electromagnet winding and devices successively actuated thereby to withdraw said holding means and to'supplement said closing means.

in a circuit-breaker, the combination with stationary and movable contact mem bers, a mechanical means tending to effect engagement of said members, and a latch for holding the movable member in a position of maximum separation from the stationary men'iber, of an electromagnet winding and devices successively actuated thereby to withdraw said latch and to supplement said mechanical means.

In a circuit-breaker, the combination with stationary and movable contact members, a resilient means tending to ellect engagement of said members, and a latch for holding the movable member in a position of maximum separation from the stationary members, of an electrounagnet and devices successively actuated thereby to withdraw the latch and to supplement the resilient means.

4. In a circuit-breaker, the combination with stationary and movable contact members, a starting spring-.tending to effect engagement 01 said men'ibers, a latch for bolding the movable membeuin a position of maximum separation from the stationary member, a stop for limiting the movement of the latch in one direction and a resilient means for holding the latch against the stop, of an .clectro-magnet and devices successively actuatedthereb y to withdraw the latch and to suppiement the action of the starting spring.

5. in a circuit-breaker, the combination with stationary and movable contact members, a starting spring lending to effect the engagement of the members, a latch for holding the movable member in a position of maximum separation. from the stationary member, a stop for limiting the movement of the latch in one direction and a spring for holding the latch against the stop, ,of an elcctro-magnet having a winding and two movable core members, one of said members being adapted to withdraw the latch and the other member being adapted to supplement the starting spring.

6. A circuit-breaker having a latch for holding its movable member in one of its extreme positions in combination with a magnct coxn n'ising a winding and a pair oi movable core meml'iers one of which serves to 'witlnlraw the latch and the other to move said movable mcml'ier to its other extreme position. v

i". in an electrical apparatus, the combination with a movable contact member, and means for normally holding it in one of its extreme position.s,-o:t a solenoid and a pair of movable core members one of which is adapted to release said contact member and the other of which serves to move it to its other extreme position.

8. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with Stationary and'movable contact, members, latchesfor holding the movable memher in its respective extreme positions, a spring tending to effect an. initial movement holding said member in its respective extremepositions, .a'starting spring for etfectin an .mitial movement of the member in either d1rect1on'whentthe corresponding latch 15 withdrawn. and a magnet fol-withdrawing Q one of the latches, of an electro-magnet haw .ing'a winding and two movable core members; one ofsaid members being adapted to withdraw the second latch and the other being adapted to supplement the starting spring in closing the breaker.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this21st day of August,

CURTIS A. TUCKER.

\Vitnesses: I v

'J. J. Auxsrinnn, Bmxni' HINES. 

